Power producers cut their emissions by 205 million metric tons, more than half of the 405 million metric-ton reduction for the nation overall. The report says 2009 emissions in the United States of carbon totaled 5.4 billion metric tons.

Part of the drop is due to the economic slowdown, the agency says. The power industry, which accounts for about 40% of the nation’s carbon emissions, saw demand drop last year, for instance. And high gas prices caused businesses and consumers to cut back on fuel purchases, although prices peaked in 2008.

Power shift

The agency says that power producers shifted their mix to less carbon-intensive generation.

“The 4% drop in the carbon intensity of the electric power sector, the largest in recent times, reflects a large increase in the use of lower-carbon natural gas because of an almost 50-percent decline in its price,” the report says. “Renewable generation also increased. Nuclear generation, although down slightly, increased its share of the total.

Emissions from coal dropped 12%, the report says. Petroleum emissions dropped 5.3% and natural gas emissions were down 1.6 percent. The report also says that the use of alternative fuels rose about 2%.